Get Ready For Huge Reversals in Energy and Climate Change Policies

by BWISC

One overlooked election tidbit: GOP gains in state legislatures (and governors’ offices) will throw a major wrench into efforts to slow climate change. What follows is an explanation on why and how.

Basically, it’s all about buildings. The energy used to power commercial and residential buildings is responsible for 38 percent of the nation’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – emissions that worsen climate change.

Rulemaking is not sexy, but in this case, the rules behind how buildings are designed and run have a huge impact on climate change. And this is why, if you care about the environment, there is about to be a very big problem.

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The BEST investment

by A Siegel

Very simply, across the economy, energy efficiency is almost certainly the top investment option -- as individuals, businesses, communities, government ... The rate of return possibilities are tremendous and unlike gambles to grow business or play the stock market, this is 'guaranteed' cash in the bank.

And, it is 'cash in the bank' in terms of cost savings. It is 'cash in the bank' in terms of job creation. It is 'cash in the bank' due to improved resiliency in the face of (manmade or natural) disaster. It is 'cash in the bank' due to reduced pollution impacts and reduced GHG emissions. It is 'cash in the bank' many times over in many different ways.

Sadly, too many people buy into the concept that we need some great invention to do anything meaningful on climate change.

Sadly, too many people falsely believe that there is some great unaffordable cost to Energy Smart practices.

We need to push those false notions aside to enable transformational opportunities toward a prosperous, climate-friendly future.

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$100 billion/year: tax cuts for 1% or solutions for all?

by A Siegel

"Yes we can!"

Sadly, no we haven't.

Not that the Obama Administration with the support (and urging) of a Democratic House of Representatives and the drag of a Democratic controlled (???) Senate haven't tried to do tremendous things.

Note that, for the most part, President Obama has filled the Administration with competent -- incredibly competent --, dedicate, and ethical people who are interested in working diligently to solve real problems.

Sadly, no we haven't had the true simplicity and clarity of message that "Yes we can" ... "Hope" ... "Change" all represented in 2008.

Clarity, simplicity, stickiness lead to SUCCESs ...

Alan Grayson understands that.

And, looking to Grayson leads to a question: How would you spend $100 billion / year to help create solutions?

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Slay some Vampires for Halloween ... and help defeat the Climate Zombie Invasion

by A Siegel

Vampires are among us. When you aren't looking (or, when you are looking but not seeing), when you are sleeping, when you aren't paying attention, Vampires are sucking up vital juices, threatening our very existence.  

For Halloween, kill some Vampires and contribute to defeating the invasion of Climate Zombies!

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Addressing home affordability through energy efficiency in financing process

by A Siegel

There are a myriad of ways in which the U.S. home mortgage system is weak to even broken. The extent of the housing bubble to the shoddy paperwork (and, in too many cases, outright fraud) in foreclosures are just two minor little examples of the problems we face.

One contributing factor -- to the housing bubble, to foreclosure rates, to wasteful U.S. energy practices, to Americans' heavy carbon footprints -- is the absence of efficiency from the home financing process. The home financing guidance from the heavy-weights (the Fannies) doesn't take efficiency into account for determining mortgage affordability as there is not a serious consideration of the energy cost implications of a home purchase decision and how that can impact affordability.

There are at least two specific elements that the home loan process should consider:

• Location efficiency
• Building energy efficiency

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Facebook ... unFriend unfriendly Coal

by A Siegel

We all have choices to make in life, some easier than others.

Perhaps to basic MBA penny-pinching, earning dollars off others' lungs through ignoring coal pollution's externalities, or a Corporate culture that remains ignorant of social costs, one of the most popular websites in the globe made the choice to poison all 500,000,000 of its "friends" by being a Friend to unfriendly and polluting Coal-fired electricity.

Facebook recently chose to operate its first data center, located in Prineville, Oregon, US, with energy from Pacific Power, a utility 60% fueled by coal.

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Updated: Boulder, inspired by others, puts Utility in its place

by citizendane

Tuesday night the City Council of Boulder, Colorado took a historic step towards self-determination regarding its energy supply.  With this vote, the City of Boulder is no longer under the monopoly power of Xcel Energy.  Some key issues are still up in the air, but the power dynamics have shifted dramatically and permanently.

Boulder has taken a path that municipalities across Colorado (and perhaps the country) can follow, much as Boulder has followed the outstanding lead of Marin County, CA and Winter Park, Florida.

Jump the fold to learn how we did it and how your community can as well.

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Energy BOOKSHELF: The power of invisible energy

by A Siegel

Efficiency is the ugly stepchild of the energy and climate world.

Recently, I put solar on my roof.  Many neighbors and friends are excited about trying to do the same.  When I hear this from them, the advice: make sure that your home is energy efficient before putting a penny into something like solar power or a generator. One friend's response, "I know that but insulation isn't sexy."

It might not be sexy, but efficiency is powerful.

In Invisible Energy, NRDC's David Goldstein lays out a strong case why our national policy should be that of the home: first, second, and third priority should be energy efficiency and then clean energy (renewable energy) can meet the reduced energy demands.

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A Giant step behind Wal-Mart

by A Siegel

When I hop onto my bike early in the morning because we're out of coffee or need some bread, a Giant Food grocery store is the closest option.  The store recently went through a renovation and is amid a "grand opening".  Wondering through this store, however, makes this author's head spin contrasting the store's realities with Giant's "green store" statement

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America Can Break Its Coal Addiction! (Or: no, coal isn’t necessary)

by A Siegel

Too many people think that coal is an inevitable part of our energy future ... indefinitely.

This is not just reckless in global warming terms, the statements of inevitability are false -- we have a choice and can eliminate coal from our electricity equation if we wish to ...

Just a very simple outline of how the United States could, without Herculean efforts, eliminate coal-fired electricity from the electrical system by 2030.

And, do so while improving the economy.

Very simply, about 45 percent of US electricity comes from coal at this time. This is a serious portion of the overall US carbon load. It is also a major source of mercury and other pollutants worsening our lives. And, just remember, clean coal is like dry water -- it simply doesn't exist other than in advertising slogans.

So, how can we eliminate the US dependency on coal-fired electricity while improving the economy and not increasing dependency on foreign energy sources?

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"Forcing people to save is a cost that I am willing to bear."

by A Siegel

That Nobel prize, PhD, and ten patents to his name are hints that Secretary of Energy Steven Chu is beyond simply a bright man.  Secretary Chu is also a dedicated public servant. He is also a thoughtful, self-effacing, and, well, simply entertaining speaker. A chance to be in the room, to seem him speak, is one  of those things not to pass up.

Last evening Secretary Chu spoke at an evening reception leading into today's Center for American Progress Doing What Works that examined paths for improving government performance and foster increased (reasons for) public confidence in government.  He spoke to perspectives on the role of government and provided some thoughts from the Department of Energy.

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The climate bill is dead. Long live the climate bill!

by lipowg

Months after the Waxman-Markey/Kerry-Lieberman bill died Harry Reid and environmentalists have finally admitted it is dead, and may even be ready to remove its rotting corpse from the living room and give it a decent burial.

Though the death was clearly murder by Republicans and "centrist" Democrats, malpractice from mainstream environmental groups helped kill a chance for the climate that a different treatment might have saved. The fundamental error was to try and pass a bill via deal-making rather than grass-roots pressure, partially on the  assumption that the Obama administration shared environmentalist priorities, and would spend political capital to pressure reluctant Senators and Congress members to support the bill. This fundamental error led to pre-compromising the legislation, making concession after concession in hopes of attracting support.

The rest below the fold, x-posted from Grist .

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Energy COOL Roofing is Cool

by A Siegel

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has advocated cool roofing as a very high payoff tool to improving energy efficiency in the built environment, reducing heat island impacts, and helping to move us forward in climate change mitigation.  Tuesday, Secretary Chu announced a series of initiatives to spur cool roof deployment in (on) Department of Energy (DOE) facilities and the rest of the Federal government.  In short

Secretary Chu has directed all DOE offices to install cool roofs, whenever cost effective over the lifetime of the roof, when constructing new roofs or replacing old ones at DOE facilities. With cool roofs, these federal buildings will consume less energy, offset additional carbon emissions, and save taxpayers money.

Cool roofs are one of the most cost effective paths to save money, reduce wasteful energy use, cool cities, and help mitigate climate change impacts.

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